2 Kings 20

1. In those days. As Hezekiah survived this sickness fifteen years, and reigned altogether nearly twenty-nine, this must have been in the fourteenth year of his reign, about the time of the Assyrian invasion under Sargon: see on xviii. 17. The chapter falls naturally at the end of ch. xviii.

thou shalt die. Implying that Hezekiah’s disorder was in itself incurable, and must have terminated in death, but for the miraculous cure which was granted in answer to his prayer.

3 with a perfect heart. Hezekiah’s general conduct was thoroughly consistent with his knowledge and professed piety. He probably refers here especially to his public conduct, and his efforts to establish and maintain the worship of Jehovah.

7 lump of figs. Poultices of figs have long been used, especially in the East, for the cure of inflammatory swellings. Thus God gave an extraordinary effect to the use of ordinary means.

boil. The Hebrew word means, literally, an inflammation (Job ii. 7); in this case, as has been suggested by high medical authority, perhaps an abscess in the throat, or “quinsey,” symptoms of which are pain in the bones (Isa. xxxviii. 13) and hoarseness (14): see Diseases of the Bible, by Sir J. R. Bennett.

11 dial. The same Hebrew word is translated “degrees” in vers. 9, 10, and in other passages, “steps.” Hence it is supposed that the “dial” consisted of a kind of staircase with a pillar on the top, so constructed that the step on which the shadow fell indicated the hour of the day. Similar step-dials may be seen at Delhi and Benares. The recession of the shadow, in whatever way it was effected, was clearly miraculous. God alone could foretell or effect it. Herodotus states that the Greeks obtained the knowledge of the dial, and the division of the day into twelve parts, from the Babylonians. It is not at all unlikely that Ahaz, who appears to have been fond of foreign objects of art (see xvi. 10), obtained a dial amongst them.

12. Herodach-baladan. He is called, in Isa. xxxix. 1, “Merodach-baladan,” deriving his name from a Babylonian deity, Bal or Bel (see Jer. l. 2; Isa. xlvi. 1).

sent letters. We learn from 2 Chron. xxxii. 31 that an account of the miracle just narrated had reached Babylon. Such a wonder was peculiarly fitted to excite the curiosity of a scientific people like the Chaldeans.

13 hearkened unto them. Or, “was glad about them” (see Isa. xxxix. 2). The words in Hebrew differ by only one letter, י and י, very similar in sound. This embassage and present from Babylon proved too powerful an assailant for Hezekiah’s heart, and put him off his guard: see 2 Chron. xxxii. 31.

the silver and the gold, etc. If the embassy from Babylon preceded Sennacherib’s invasion, as seems likely, there is no difficulty in accounting for these treasures. Hezekiah’s vanity was particularly culpable, as this embassy afforded a good opportunity of honouring Him who had wrought the miracle and the cure; but this he neglected to do.

17 shall be carried into Babylon. The punishment was to be inflicted through the very people who had occasioned his sin. This is the first explicit prediction of the Babylonian exile, although it had been hinted at before. It was partly fulfilled in the captivity of Manasseh (2 Chron. xxxiii, 11), and in the reign of Zedekiah it was fully accomplished (2 Chron. xxxvi, 18).

19. Good is the word. While the king acquiesces in the judgement as righteous and deserved, he gratefully acknowledges the mercy shown in the postponement of the catastrophe.